We are wired to see motion, so focusing attention on the up-and-down pedaling motion enhances visibility to others. Cyclists who draw attention to the moving parts can be up to 83% more noticeable to drivers.

Fluorescent clothing increases visibility, but using it to highlight the biomotion – actions that make the brain recognize this action as being human – increases its impact.

One example: Cyclists who wore fluorescent leggings could be by drivers up seen 600 feet away. Those who wore black leggings were recognizable at 180 feet away.

The reason this matters is that vehicle braking has three components: Thinking distance (reacting to a cyclist’s presence), consideration distance (acting to modify behavior, such as stepping on the brakes), and braking distance (the time it takes to physically bring a vehicle from speed to a complete stop). If you can shorten the first two by biomotion and visibility, vehicles can stop that much sooner.

C – Contrast: Choose the right gear for day and night

Fluorescent attire can decrease a cyclist’s chance of “incident” by up to 53%.

Sunlight does not equal visibility. To be seen, you need to stand out from your surroundings… which is why fluorescent wear can be so effective.

But its effectiveness comes with sunlight, not headlights. Fluorescent colors do not have the same visibility at night, even if illuminated by a vehicle’s lights. What works after dark is reflective attire – which can make you up to 72% more noticeable.

Use a variety of reflective options – on your body and on your bike – to enhance your nighttime visibility… and, of course, use lights to be seen and see where you’re going.

Elsewhere in the same issue, the editors compiled a depressing series of stats and stories on bike safety – such as two cyclists are killed by drivers in the United States every day. They also look at how streets of the future can (and will) be safer, and eight things you can do now to improve safety (topics for another day).

As was mentioned at the beginning, this safety information was presented by companies who 1) sell bikes and 2) sell lights, apparel and reflective gear. However, their stats are sourced and their message rings true – so don’t let the commercialism get in the way of the common sense. (After all, they want you to live long enough to be a customer, right?) You can find out more at bontrager.com/abc.

Ready to ride or run?

Run? Still not much on the calendar (just wait until October)… but you can find a Labor Day 5K in Naples Sept. 4 and a Medical Society fun run 5K in Fort Myers Sept. 16.

Ride? Look for the regular Critical Mass rides: Friday is the downtown Fort Myers ride at 7:15 p.m.; Sept. 8 is the NE Lee rise at 7:40 p.m.; and the Sanibel ride is the following day at 7:30 p.m. For night rides lights are required, helmets recommended, and details and sign-up info is online at www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events. Those looking for a longer route should consider the Tour of Sebring Sept. 2-4, where you can pick the number of days and miles you wish (tourofsebring.com).

Both? September brings the Venice YMCA Sprint on Sept. 2 (trifind.com), followed by the Galloway Captiva Tri weekend Sept. 9-10 (kids are Saturday, sprint on Sunday; info at captivatri.org). At the end of the month there’s the Siesta Key Sprint (trifind.com) and the Marco Island Sprint (active.com).

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

# # #

Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Our parks — local, state and national — can be great places to get in a few miles of leisurely cycling, with the added benefit of taking in whatever makes the park a park.

Lakes Park in south Fort Myers is an example of a place to ride slow and easy. A park can also offer the opportunity to ride many miles at a more ambitious pace on single-track mountain bike trail, as is the case in Caloosahatchee Regional Park in Alva.

International Bike Your Park Day is Saturday, Sept. 30. Bike Your Park Day is organized by Adventure Cycling, a non-profit bike travel organization that provides resources for bicycle touring. The group is the primary force behind the creation of a U.S. bicycle route system, an interstate system for bicycles. In the U.S., the second annual Bike Your Park Day coincides with National Public Lands Day, a yearly event intended to get folks into parks and conservation lands where they will experience the treasures that are sometimes overlooked or taken for granted.

Many national parks and federal land areas offer free entry on that day.

One of the federal gems that are in our own backyard is the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island. There you can bike the paved five-mile Wildlife Drive (it’s one way so add three miles to return via the bike path along San-Cap Road). Ding Darling’s Baily tract is nearby but separate from the main area and has unpaved trails that are open to bikers and hikers. In between are plenty of other places to visit on the island via the extensive bike-path network, including a number of beachfront parks and nature areas.

For those willing to drive a bit, another federal property that’s worthy of a day trip is Shark Valley tram loop in Everglades National Park. It’s just over half way across the Everglades off U.S. 41 but this popular bicycling destination gets you as close to the real Everglades as anywhere that’s easily accessible to the public (bring your own bike or rent one there). Undoubtedly you will encounter gators and other wildlife.

Some of our area’s state lands are also excellent choices for bike riding. The one with the most bikeable miles is Cecil Webb Wildlife Management Area in southern Charlotte County. It offers 37 miles of flat, unpaved roads. Be aware, however, that hunting is allowed there in the late fall into winter with a few weeks of archery hunting taking place in September. Wear safety orange when riding there those times of year. Another very good option is Lovers Key State Park between Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach. It has a combination of paved and unpaved roads as well as single track hiking trails that also accommodate those on bikes. And there’s one of the state’s best beaches there as well.

Lee County offers Lakes Park, Caloosahatchee Regional Park and John Yarbrough Trail Park. A good ride to consider starts at Lakes Park and follows the Tour de Parks route, which includes John Yarbrough Trail Park and a number of other parks and nature centers (fortmyers-sanibel.com/media/16998/tour_de_parks.pdf). You can ride anywhere from five to 25 miles on bike paths or roads, whichever you prefer.

Anyone wishing to “officially” participate in Bike Your Park Day can design your own ride of any distance, any speed, and in any park or public land that is open to bicycling (not all parks allow bikes or use is restricted so be sure to check). Participants may register the ride at BikeYourParkDay.org (it’s free) and it will be added to an interactive map displaying all of the rides taking place around the world. If you register by September 18 you’ll be entered to win a bike and an Amtrak train trip for two, with bikes, to Glacier National Park.

- Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334-6417.

Friday, Sept. 1: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers starting at a special time: 7:15 p.m. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (twitter.com/swflcm or meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)

Sept. 2-4: Tour of Sebring. Take your ride on the road for one, two or three days in the center of the state. Cyclists will especially appreciate our lightly traveled back roads, friendly motorists, citrus groves, cattle ranches, and small towns typical of rural Central Florida. (tourofsebring.com).

Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.

Friday, August 25, 2017

As one of the highest ranked Florida communities for bicyclist fatalities, Lee County is acutely aware of the need to improve safety for cyclists (and pedestrians). This national report again puts this growing national problem on the front pages of national newspapers. The report found that bicyclist deaths rose 12.2% in 2015, the
largest percentage increase of any roadway user group that year. In
response to this safety crisis, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)’s report details 30 actions that states can take to reduce deaths and injuries among people
who bike. What are our local elected officials and government agencies doing to address these serious safety concerns in our community?

"I think it [the GHSA report] is a great resource for individuals who want to know more
about bicycle safety efforts, state and local agencies looking to
address bicycle safety issues, and everyone who wants to know more about
why bicyclist safety is a persistent issue in our current
transportation system." Ken McLeod, League of American Bicyclists Aug. 25th statement re: report

WASHINGTON, D.C. – New research shows that bicyclist deaths rose 12.2% to 818 in 2015, the largest percentage increase of all roadway user groups that year (the latest year in which data is available). But unlike decades ago, when children and teens represented the bulk of bicyclist fatalities, today the average age of those killed is 45, and most are male (85%).

These findings are among many detailed in A Right to the Road: Understanding & Addressing Bicyclist Safety, a new report by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). Funded by a grant from State Farm®, the publication analyzes national data to understand fatal bicyclist-motor vehicle crash characteristics and offers 30 action steps to help State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) and local communities assess their current bicyclist safety programs and take action to improve bicyclist safety.“We need to ensure that bicyclists and motorists can share roads safely,” said Chris Mullen, Director of Technology Research at State Farm. “Unfortunately, bicyclists are vulnerable and much more susceptible to serious injury or death when on the roads with vehicles. That’s why it is so critical that we examine the factors surrounding these crashes and leverage a variety of proven tools to improve bicyclist safety nationwide.”

A unifying theme in many of these crashes is that the motorist often fails to see the bicyclist, while the bicyclist expects the driver to give way and is unable to stop in time to avoid a crash. This illustrates the need for all people to pay attention to their surroundings whenever they take to the road.

Other important data presented in the report includes where and when fatal bicyclist-motor vehicle crashes are occurring (72% in non-intersection locations, and 53% between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., respectively). Alcohol was a factor in 37% of the 2015 bicyclist fatalities for either the cyclist or the driver. The report acknowledges limitations on the currently available data and calls for states and localities to refine crash reports to improve the accuracy of the data collected.

Better crash data is just one of the 30 recommendations. Other key suggestions include: more training for law enforcement to understand state and local laws designed to protect bicyclists; partnering with bicycling and community organizations to amplify driver and cyclist safety messaging; and pairing infrastructure improvements with public education.

“State highway safety agencies are tasked with addressing road user behavior through public awareness, so they are uniquely positioned to educate people about the safety benefits of engineering improvements and build support for better roadway design,” said GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins. “While engineering solutions are vital, states and communities cannot solely build their way out of the problem. These changes should be accompanied by education and enforcement to be most effective.”

The report also outlines federal safety efforts, possible funding sources, partner organizations, and a wide range of promising state and local programs and policies that communities can use to encourage safer behavior by all road users, whether traveling by bicycle, motor vehicle or on foot.

This comprehensive report was authored by traffic safety expert Pam Fischer, who has previously researched safety topics for GHSA including teen driving, drowsy driving and pedestrian safety. The data analysis was done by Richard Retting of Sam Schwartz Transportation Consultants. An expert panel of state and federal officials, researchers and bicycle safety advocates served as advisors for the report. Access it and additional resources here: http://www.ghsa.org/resources/bicyclist-safety2017.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy, enhance program management and promote best practices. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans. Contact GHSA at 202-789-0942 or visit www.ghsa.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GHSAhq or follow us on Twitter @GHSAHQ.About State Farm®

The mission of State Farm is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto, home and individual life insurance in the United States. Its 18,000 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve more than 83 million policies and accounts – nearly 81 million auto, home, life, health and commercial policies, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 35 on the 2016 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com.

Monday, August 21, 2017

Saturday, Aug. 26: North Collier Regional Rampage 5K. The third and final event in the Elite Events Summer 5k Series will take place at North Collier Regional Park. Runners will race through the park on closed pathways and have plenty of views of vegetation, fountains, and water. This flat and shady course will give runners a great chance to run a fast time.7 a.m., North Collier Regional Park. (eliteevents.org)

Friday, Sept. 1: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers starting at a special time: 7:15 p.m. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (twitter.com/swflcm or meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/)

Sept. 2-4: Tour of Sebring. Take your ride on the road for one, two or three days in the center of the state. Cyclists will especially appreciate our lightly traveled back roads, friendly motorists, citrus groves, cattle ranches, and small towns typical of rural Central Florida. (tourofsebring.com).

Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Recent reporting on the rise of cycling in New York City hold a cautionary tale for other areas (including our own) working to encourage more people to use their bicycles more often.

And the final moral is: When more people are trying to use the same space, rules matter even more.”

Through improved infrastructure, bike sharing services and similar effort to promote cycling, NYC has seen a boom in bike use. For an urban area with chronic traffic, mass transit and parking issues, that should be good news.

By and large, it is… except when it isn’t. That usually occurs when all the users trying to traverse the same street don’t agree to play by the same rules. This was reflected in a spate of news stories spotlighting people upset by the recklessness more riders had wrought on the city streets and sidewalks, along with a recounting of how cycling had gradually made inroads on NYC roads over the last decade.

In the news coverage, a lot of the blame was pointed at cyclists – particularly those who ride recklessly, flout traffic rules and endanger pedestrians. Likely some of that blame is deserved; not following the rules of the roads (or sidewalk) is dangerous, and the more cyclists who do it the more dangerous it becomes.

However, having been a cyclist, a pedestrian and a motorist (albeit not at the same time), I’m betting there plenty of blame to go around for all these groups.

For every cyclist who blows through a traffic light or rides the wrong way in traffic or dangerously cuts off a pedestrian, there is also a motorist who drives aggressively around bikers or blocks crosswalks to see oncoming traffic, or who drifts (or flat-out drives) into a bike lane while it’s being used by others. There also are the pedestrians too distracted by a cell phone to pay attention to their surroundings, who let their kids or pets roam into the path of oncoming cyclists, or who in general make their way forward oblivious to other traffic (bike, car or otherwise) around them.

That’s why, in circumstances such as all these, following the rules matters. For what are rules but guidelines (often codified as laws) to facilitate how one user of the roadway should interact with another user in that same approximate space.

If we all were the only motorist or cyclist or pedestrian on that road, path or sidewalk, we wouldn’t need rules. We could do whatever we what, governed only by the laws of physics and some common sense.

But add one other user, and rules start to matter. Add a hundred more, and rules really matter.

But they matter equally, because anyone who breaks the rules of the road is putting all the other users at risk. The more rule-breakers, the more risk that results.

So if, on a busy urban street, you have sidewalks full of pedestrians, bike lanes full of cyclists and roads full of motor vehicles, anyone of those users who ignores the rules puts the other users at risk – and that person deserves blame for whatever ensues. But to isolate blame on only one user group usually doesn’t tell the real story.

The upside of more users (particularly the more vulnerable ones) often is more safety. More users means more awareness of them by the other users. See a sidewalk full of people and you probably will pay more attention at crosswalks and intersections. See a bike lane full of cyclists and you’ll likely watch out for them when you turn in or step out. And, obviously, see a road full of vehicles and you’ll slow down and pay more attention overall.

But the issues that arise when more people use roadways, as documented in New York City, should be a reminder to other areas working to encourage biking and walking that they also ought to encourage (and, if necessary, enforce) more adherence to the rules by all users. They also should look at their infrastructure – bike, pedestrian and motor vehicle – to ensure there’s enough room (and that it is safe room) for all of them on the roadways.

Our area faces two somewhat unique issues: The seasonality of our traffic means more users of all types in winter, practically guaranteeing overload during peak season since our infrastructure is not built for the busiest weeks. In addition, a lot of our traffic (again, of all types) may be visiting our area and thus unfamiliar with both our roads and our rules. Both of these make a greater case for even greater caution on the part of every type of traffic – bike, ped or motor.

The bottom line: Play by the rules when you use our roads, no matter what mode of transportation you choose.

Ready to ride or run?

Run? It’s still the dog days of summer – when even a dog shouldn’t be out there running – but you have a few events to tide you over until the running season returns this fall: The Fort Myers Track Club 5K Membership Run 7:30 a.m. this Saturday at the CenturyLink Sports Complex, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com). On Aug 26, look for the North Collier Regional Rampage 5K kicking off at 7 a.m. at the North Collier Regional Park (eliteevents.org).

Ride? The regular Critical Mass rides are on the calendar: Friday is the Estero ride beginning at 7:30 p.m.; Aug. 25 is the Cape Coral ride also at 7:30 p.m.; and the following Saturday (Aug. 26) is the downtown slow roll in Fort Myers starting at 8 a.m. For night rides lights are required, helmets recommended, and details and sign-up info is online at www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events.

Both? Nothing scheduled nearby until September, which will bring the Venice YMCA Sprint on Sept. 2 (trifind.com), followed by the Galloway Captiva Tri weekend Sept. 9-10 (kids are Saturday, sprint on Sunday, info at captivatri.org). At the end of the month there’s the Siesta Key Sprint (trifind.com).

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

# # #

Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Is it possible to be both the worst place in America to be a pedestrian and earn a Runner Friendly Community designation at the same time?

“Of course not” would be the obvious answer. But while Lee County has about as poor an environment for those on bikes as it does for pedestrians, we nonetheless have two League of American Bicyclists’ designated Bicycle Friendly Communities in our midst.

Road Runners Club of America has a program similar to LAB’s that requires a detailed application be submitted making the case for the positive label. Per RRCA’s website, “The goal of this program is to shine a spotlight on communities that standout as runner friendly and to provide incentive for communities to work towards this designation. Runner-friendly communities can increase the quality of life, can improve physical activity for residents, and can provide for increased economic impact for the community.”

Considering the popularity of running in our area, there are some good candidates within Lee County, even though overall we have a less than stellar pedestrian environment. That’s the same scenario as for Bike Friendly Community status.

Over a decade ago, at the urging of Lee County’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Lee County government submitted a Bike Friendly Community application to LAB. County Department of Transportation staff did much of the work in pulling together the necessary data and preparing the application, an application which many of us assumed was going to be denied.

As expected, it was, but it provided a roadmap as to what needed to be done to reach even the honorable mention level. It’s difficult for an entire county the size of Lee — including all the municipalities (there were only three at the time) — to be awarded Bike Friendly Community status since there are so many different sub-communities and their specific environments and shortcomings to be judged as part of the whole.

That’s why when years later Sanibel and Cape Coral submitted their own applications they fared much better and have become Bicycle Friendly Communities.

According to RRCA’s website, the organization will rate each applicant on the physical infrastructure, the amount of community support and degree of local government support. Each element includes criteria that must be addressed. The goal is to prove that the applicant community works together to promote running as a healthy activity for residents and visitors while ensuring runners safety.

With those elements as the gauges, the municipalities I’d consider very runner friendly include Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Springs. Estero will have a chance in the future but is still too soon into its life as an incorporated entity to know if the government is supportive enough.

Cape Coral, for all it’s done to earn Bicycle Friendly status, is still short on having a fully connected, safe and enjoyable pedestrian network. With the same commitment to creating that infrastructure as the city has shown towards improving the bicycling environment Cape Coral could earn the designation.

The city of Fort Myers, even with McGregor Boulevard and its adjacent neighborhoods providing some of the best places for running in Lee County, has too many problems in other parts of the city and its governmental commitment is questionable at best.

Ironically, at least in name, much of the credit for the robust running culture in our area goes to Fort Myers Track Club, our area’s first running club and still the preeminent race organizer/facilitator.

FMTC has been promoting running and putting on races since 1978. Because of FMTC and now many others, the community support element of the application will fare well for any applicant; physical infrastructure and government support will be the difference whether RRCA deems any worthy of being considered runner friendly.

The application process begins with a nomination from an RRCA member organization or business. It includes taking on the task of completing the online application. While not as exhaustive as LAB’s process it does include chasing down some of the information government will need to provide (their cooperation will be a clue as to how that element will fare).

The payoff to this effort includes further expanding the running community; improving individual health; and economic benefits for tourism, home builders, the healthcare industry, and business of all types, whether they cater to runners. As well, having one or more Runner Friendly Communities in Lee County should be an indicator of movement away from being the most dangerous place in America to be a pedestrian, whether one is walking or running.

My hope is that someone will nominate one or more of our communities, the first step toward becoming a Runner Friendly Community. ¦

- Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334-6417.

Monday, August 14, 2017

Saturday, Aug. 26: North Collier Regional Rampage 5K. The third and final event in the Elite Events Summer 5k Series will take place at North Collier Regional Park. Runners will race through the park on closed pathways and have plenty of views of vegetation, fountains, and water. This flat and shady course will give runners a great chance to run a fast time.7 a.m., North Collier Regional Park. (eliteevents.org)

Sept. 2-4: Tour of Sebring. Take your ride on the road for one, two or three days in the center of the state. Cyclists will especially appreciate our lightly traveled back roads, friendly motorists, citrus groves, cattle ranches, and small towns typical of rural Central Florida. (tourofsebring.com).

Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.

Sept. 2-4: Tour of Sebring. Take your ride on the road for one, two or three days in the center of the state. Cyclists will especially appreciate our lightly traveled back roads, friendly motorists, citrus groves, cattle ranches, and small towns typical of rural Central Florida. (tourofsebring.com).

Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.

Friday, August 4, 2017

FDOT announces a public hearing about plans to improve Lee county's most dangerous intersection. The meeting will be held on Thursday, August 17, 2017, at the Florida Southwestern State College. All interested parties are invited to attend.

Fort Myers, FL -- The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District One, is holding a public hearing about design plans to improve the intersection of Six Mile Cypress Parkway/Gladiolus Drive (SR 865) and US 41 in Lee County. The hearing will be held on Thursday, August 17, 2017, at the Florida Southwestern State College, 8099 College Parkway, Building AA, Room 177, Fort Myers, FL 33919.

There will be an open house at 5 p.m. during which staff will be available to discuss the project and answer questions, followed by the formal hearing presentation at 6 p.m., after which participants may provide verbal or written comments. People attending the meeting can review project displays and speak one-on-one with project team members about the proposed capacity and safety improvements to Six Mile Cypress Parkway/Gladiolus Drive (SR 865) and US 41.

The project will add an additional westbound through lane on Six Mile Cypress Parkway, increase capacity of the eastbound turn lanes, and improve the pedestrian crossings at the intersection. As part of these improvements, the closure of the eastbound left turn entrance for the Parker Promenade shopping plaza west of the intersection is being considered. The estimated construction cost is $2.1 million and construction should begin during the summer of 2018.

The draft project documents and other information will be available for public review from July 27 through August 28, 2017 at the Lakes Regional Library, 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers, FL 33919.

FDOT developed this meeting in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes. Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. Persons wishing to express their concerns relative to FDOT compliance with Title VI may do so by contacting Jamie Schley, FDOT District One Title VI Coordinator by phone at 863-519-2573, or via email at Jamie.Schley@dot.state.fl.us.

People requiring special accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disability Act of 1990 or people that require translation services (free of charge) at the meeting should contact project manager, Randy Lachler at 863-519-2548 or by e-mail to Randy.Lachler@dot.state.fl.us at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact us by using the Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice).

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Are you a cyclist who’s afraid of traffic? Well, you’re not alone… there are a lot of bike riders who go out of their way (or don’t go out at all) to avoid mixing it up with motor vehicles.

But avoiding cars and trucks isn’t always feasible, so there will be times when there’s no getting around getting into traffic. What can you do to make that a safer and less stressful situation?

Bike defensively. Assume that an oncoming vehicle will do something you won’t like and be prepared to avoid it. This doesn’t mean riding in a perpetual state of fear, but it does mean paying a lot of attention to the vehicles around you and what hazards they could pose. Usually, nothing will happen… but better to be ready than to be taken by surprise.

Plan your ride routes to minimize motor vehicles… or to maximize safer facilities. Don’t pick busy streets unless you have no other choice. Do pick roadways with well-designed bike/ped facilities, where there’s room for everyone to travel. Know your options and pick roads with more room or less traffic.

Act like the vehicle operator you are. Ride with traffic (it’s the law), where drivers are more likely to see you. Signal your intentions when around other vehicles (that means bikes, too). Remember your limitations as a vehicle (no protection, say) and your strengths (faster to stop and more maneuverable, for example).

Be aware. Pay attention to what’s going on around you so, no cell phones) and use all your senses – meaning no earphones(it’s the law).

Be visible. In traffic the last thing you want to do is blend in. Wear bright colors, have flashing lights… whatever it takes to be seen by drivers. (Oh, and wear a helmet, OK?)

Be predictable. Ride steady and straight, don’t swerve into another vehicle’s path or ignore a traffic signal… as the more vulnerable vehicle, you’ll never win any of those interactions.

Be in charge. Don’t assume the other guy will stop in time or stay out of your way. If something goes awry, stop and wait for the offending vehicle to move on.

Be friendly. Wave at motorists who do the right thing. Make eye contact with drivers so you know they see you.

Be smart. If someone is driving or acting like a jerk, don’t engage them. You need to be the bigger person since they’re operating the bigger vehicle. Reporting an incident is always an option.

All this may never make riding in traffic a welcome experience, but they can make it a safe one. They will also give you skills you’ll need to use your bike as transportation, not just recreation – which can also be a good thing for your life (and health and waistline and wallet, etc.).

Bikes, cars and trucks can coexist on the same roadway – particularly ones designed for everyone to have a safe space. (Those kinds of “complete streets” really are safer for all – even motorists.) And if you approach riding in traffic with the right attitude – that you have a right to be there, but that right comes with responsibility – the experience can be a good one for all involved.

School’s back!

Next Thursday marks the start of another school year… and back to school means students will be back on the streets. Whether waiting for the bus or riding or walking their way to school, expect to see more kids out and about.

That means motorists must be more watchful both early morning and later afternoons, both for students along the roads and walkways, and for the buses picking them up. Watch for the school bus’s red lights and, unless you’re on a roadway divided with “a raised barrier or an unpaved median at least five feet wide,” be prepared to stop.

A good time to trim

Summer rains bring summer growth… and soon your yard looks like a jungle as the tropical plants take over.

While you’re staying busy staying ahead of the vegetation, be sure to take a look at any trees or bushes you have adjacent to trafficways – bike, pedestrian or motorized.

Why?

Makes it safer for everyone… bikers and walkers can ride or walk safely on the sidewalk or bike path, and motorists can see what’s coming if the overgrowth is under control.

Makes it better for your plants… since, if vegetation impinges on a public road, sidewalk, bike path or other right-of-way, DOT (or some government agency) has the responsibility to keep that right-of-way clear. When they cut, they work to clear out vegetation first… not always the best for your plants.

So keep the way clear and trim your trees and bushes.

Ready to ride or run?

Run? There’s a Cape Coral 5K on Saturday (3dracinginc.com) at Jaycee Park. Later in the month, look for the North Collier Regional Rampage 5K on Aug. 29 (eliteevents.org).

Ride? You’ll always have Critical Mass rides: Saturday is the fourth anniversary downtown Fort Myers ride, starting at 5 p.m.; Aug. 11 is the NE Lee ride, followed on Aug. 12 with the Sanibel ride. The cycle finishes with the Estero Ride on Aug. 18. For night rides lights are required, helmets recommended, and details and sign-up info is online at www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events.
Both? Willing to drive a little? There’s Tri Sarasota (sprint and international) on Saturday, and Tri at Siesta Key (sprint and super-sprint) Sunday. Nearby, there’s the Naples Junior Triathlon on Saturday, Aug. 12, at North Collier Regional Park (naplesjuniortriathlon.com), and the Galloway Captiva Tri weekend Sept. 9-10… kids events in three age groups on Saturday and the adult sprint on Sunday (captivatri.org).

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

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Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org.

July is historically a slow month in local government, as the Lee County Board of Commissioners takes its annual month-long hiatus. The Lee Metropolitan Planning Organization’s July meeting and its advisory boards are also canceled, meaning not much gets done in the way of transportation decision making. Fortunately, local municipalities have been meeting regularly, so there’s at least some hope of summertime progress towards improving the bike/ped environment here.

I’m concerned about any pause because six months after the release of the latest Dangerous by Design report (smartgrowthamerica.org/dangerousbydesign) there appears to be little to no political will to deal with the fact that Lee County is ranked as the most dangerous metro area in the U.S. for pedestrians.

At the time of the study’s January release, BikeWalkLee called “on all local jurisdictions, the Lee MPO, Florida Department of Transportation, and the Lee legislative delegation to act now to make pedestrian and bicyclist safety a top priority and to make the necessary investments to have safety improvements on the ground as soon as possible. The stakes are high and the collective actions by all jurisdictions must be commensurate with the stakes.” But alarm bells that have been sounded from the report itself, BikeWalkLee, Healthy Lee, and others did not create the sense of urgency that one would expect.

But it’s not all bleak. One major infusion of resources that is already be making a positive impact is about to wrap-up. Most of the projects identified in the $10 million Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery grant that was awarded to Lee County MPO in 2013 have been completed.

But one last element — added when it was determined funds were left over — is still in the works. According to Don Scott, Lee MPO director, “The design package for the installation of the way-finding signs is currently being worked on, with completion of those planned for the middle of August. The signs will then be fabricated (takes four to six weeks) and then will be installed. The other TIGER facilities, sidewalks, bus stops, pathways, etc. have been completed but there are some remaining punch list items that are currently being addressed.”

These improvements not only provide better access for non-motorists but will also potentially equate to a reduction in crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists. Time will tell.

Another positive to report on is actually a planning tool. The Lee Countywide Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Action Plan that was created in 2013 in an effort to make it safer for non-motorists is about to be revised. Lee MPO, the lead agency in the undertaking as well, has gotten the scope of work for the consultant approved by the Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinating Committee and will next go to the MPO’s other advisory boards and then the full MPO board later this month for final approval. Advertising for consultants will follow. Besides having the right consultant on board, public input is important so weigh in with your ideas and insight. You can read the current plan at leempo.com and send your comments along to them.

It’s also encouraging to see a number of bike and pedestrian projects and studies being undertaken by our municipalities. Bonita Springs’ beautiful downtown re-do is taking shape with traffic calming and walkability the key features. Sidewalk repairs and replacement work is happening throughout the city of Fort Myers, although there are still many busy streets in long-established neighborhoods still lacking adequate infrastructure. And Fowler Street between Hanson Street and MLK/S.R.-82 — the last unimproved segment of the Metro corridor — remains our area’s worse overall arterial roadway, thanks to the city dragging its feet since the late 1980s. By now FDOT should have moved forward with their own design since it is, after all, their roadway. ¦

- Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334-6417.

About BikeWalkLee Blog

This is the official Blog for BikeWalkLee.org. BikeWalkLee is a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County -- streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities.